The Skanda Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 2,545,880 words

This page describes The Story of a Gopakumara which is chapter 5 of the English translation of the Skanda Purana, the largest of the eighteen Mahapuranas, preserving the ancient Indian society and Hindu traditions in an encyclopedic format, detailling on topics such as dharma (virtous lifestyle), cosmogony (creation of the universe), mythology (itihasa), genealogy (vamsha) etc. This is the fifth chapter of the Brahmottara-khanda of the Brahma-khanda of the Skanda Purana.

Chapter 5 - The Story of a Gopakumāra

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1. Śiva is the preceptor. Śiva is the lord. Śiva is a kinsman unto embodied beings. Śiva is the soul. Śiva is the individual soul. There is nothing else other than Śiva.

2. This is a final decision in all the scriptural texts that whatever is given, thought and offered into the fire with Śiva in view, is of infinite merit.

3. A leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water offered unto Śaṃbhu, even if it be so small and insignificant, is capable of being infinite in merit.

4. Leaving off all other rituals and religious practices, even if they be ordained by scriptural texts, he who worships Śiva alone, is rid of all bondage.

5. There is no wonder that if the love that one has for one’s son, wife, wealth and property is diverted to the worship of Śiva, it does save one.

6. Hence some noble-souled devotees shun completely the intoxicating beverage of mundane pleasures for the sake of Śiva worship. They even cast off their bodies which is usually very difficult to do.

7. That is the real tongue which eulogizes Śiva; that mind is so (i.e. real mind) if it meditates on Śiva; those ears are the real ones that are eager to listen to his stories and the hands are so (real hands) if they worship him.

8. Those are the real eyes that watch the worship of Śiva, the head that bows down to Śiva and those feet which walk devoutly to the shrine of Śiva (are real head and feet).

9. He whose organs of sense and action are engaged in acts devoted to Śiva crosses the ocean of worldly existence and achieves salvation as well as enjoyment of worldly pleasures.

10. A man endowed with devotion to Śiva, may be a Cāṇḍāla or Pulkasa (a tribal caste), a devotee of Śiva, whether a man or a woman or even a eunuch, immediately gets freed from mundane existence.

11. Of what avail is nobility of birth? Of what avail are the conventional rites and rituals? Of what avail are good qualities and decent habits? A person endowed with even a modicum of devotion to Śaṃbhu is worthy of being revered by all embodied beings.

12. At Ujjayinī there was a king named Candrasena who appeared like a second Indra in the form of a man.

13. The excellent king Candrasena devoutly worships Parameśvara residing in that city as Mahākāla.

14. Maṇibhadra, the foremost among attendants of Śiva, who had subdued all those things antagonistic to welfare (of men) and who was bowed down to by all the worlds, became a friend of that king.

15. Maṇibhadra, a highly intelligent follower of Śaṅkara, once became extremely pleased with the king and gave him a divine Cintāmaṇi jewel.

16. That jewel, resplendent like the sun and refulgent like Kaustubha, bestows everything a man wishes on being seen, heard about or meditated upon.

17. A piece of brass, copper, iron, tin, stone or any other thing when brought into contact with a modicum of its splendour becomes gold in a trice.

18. Wearing that Cintāmaṇi jewel round his neck, the king attended his court. He shone like the Sun amidst Devas.

19. On hearing that this king always had the Cintāmaṇi round his neck, the greed of other kings increased and all of them became agitated in their hearts.

20. Ignorant of the fact that it was the good fortune of the king whereby he acquired the jewel, the other kings became jealous. Some of them affectionately requested him and some arrogant fellows stubbornly demanded it from him.

21. When the pleading requests of all the kings were turned down by this king, the kings of all the realms joined hands together (against him).

22-23. Saurāṣṭras, Kaikayas, Śālvas, Kaliṅgas, Śakas, Madrakas, Pāñcālas, Āvanti people, Sauvīras, Magadhas, Matsyas and Sṛñjayas[1]—these and other kings along with their horses, chariots and elephants energetically attempted to vanquish Candrasena in battle.

24. Excessively infuriated, they rallied together large armies, shook the entire earth and laid siege to Ujjayinī at all its four city gates.

25. On seeing that his city was besieged by the insolent kings, Candrasena sought refuge only in Mahākāla.

26. Without hesitation and being steadfast in his resolve, that king eschewed all food and worshipped the Lord of Gaurī day and night, without his intellect swerving astray to other thoughts.

27. In the meantime, a cowherdess of that city, a widow with an only son, was there nearly for a long time.

28. Carrying the five-year old boy, the widow was watching the great adoration performed by the king to the Consort of the Daughter of the Mountain.

29. After seeing the wonderful festivities of Śiva’s worship, the woman bowed down and returned to her camp.

30. The cowherd lad who was watching the entire process, himself began to perform eagerly the worship of Śiva that bestows non-attachment (to worldly affairs).

31. He brought a beautiful stone and placed it in a vacant excellent tent not far from his own tent and considered it Śiva Liṅga.

32. He bought all kinds of flowers that he could lay his hands on, bathed the Liṅga and worshipped devoutly.

33. He artificially improvised sweet scents, ornaments, garments, incense, light, raw rice grains etc. and made provision for Naivedya (food offerings) also.

34. Again and again he worshipped with charming flowers and leaves, danced in diverse manner and bowed down repeatedly.

35. While the son went on like this performing the worship of Śiva with full mental concentration, the cowherdess lovingly invited him to take his food.

36. Though called by his mother many times, the boy continued to be engrossed in the worship and was not at all interested in having his food. Then the mother herself went there.

37. On seeing the son seated in front of the Śiva Liṅga with closed eyes, the mother pulled him by his hands and hit him.

38. Though pulled and beaten, the boy did not move. So the woman hurled the Liṅga far off and destroyed the other objects of worship.

39. She rebuked the boy despite his cries of protest, “Alas! Alas!”. Then she went back to her house in a huff.

40. On seeing the (materials of) worship spoiled by his mother (intended by him to be dedicated) to the Trident-bearing Lord of Devas, the boy fell down crying, “Oh lord! Oh lord!”

41. His eyes filled with tears and he fell senseless. After a short while, he regained consciousness and opened his eyes.

42. Then suddenly, the tent became converted into a temple of Śiva shining with gemset columns, with festoons hung over golden doorways and having a pure altar of very valuable blue diamond.

43. The boy saw a fine pleasing temple of Śiva and a gemset Liṅga in the middle of an excellent pedestal. The roof was resplendent with crystals and domes of various sorts made of molten gold.

44. On seeing this, he got up suddenly overcome with awe and dismay in his mind. Out of contentment, he was as though sinking deep into the ocean of great pleasure.

45. As a result, he realized the greatness of Śiva worship and prostrated flat on the ground for quelling his mother’s sin:

46-47. “O Lord, O Consort of Umā, forgive my mother’s sin. She is ignorant of your greatness. She is deluded. Be pleased with her, O Śaṅkara. If there is a modicum of merit in me arising out of my devotion to you, O Lord Śiva, may my mother get your sympathy thereby.”

48. Thus propitiating Lord Śiva and bowing down repeatedly, the boy went out of the temple of Śiva when the sun set.

49. He found his own tent resembling the city of Indra. It was suddenly converted into a golden abode shining with riches of all sorts.

50-51. At night he joyously entered the house spread over with valuable jewels and shining with heaps of gold. There he saw his mother lying down secure and unworried on a white bed on a gemset couch.

52. She appeared like a celestial damsel with her limbs brightened with gems and ornaments, resplendent with divine garments and endowed with divine features.

53. He made her get up quickly with his wide open eyes indicating his excitement, “Mother, welfare unto you, get up. See this wonderful thing.”

54. On being wakened up thus by the noble-souled son, the mother shone with a coronet and glanced around smilingly.

55. Fully excited, she got up and saw everything as though unprecedented and new including both her own self and her son.

56-60. She saw her own abode anew. Her pleasure increased on hearing from her son the favour of the Lord of the Daughter of the Mountain. She informed the king who too was worshipping Lord Śiva continuously. After concluding his routine adoration, the king came to their abode at night and saw the wonderful act of the cowherd-lad arising from Śiva’s pleasure. He saw the temple made of gold and the Liṅga made of jewels and the abode of the cowherdess shining with Māṇikya stones (Rubies).

On seeing all this in the company of his ministers and preceptor, the king was struck with wonder and became highly pleased. He shed tears of joy and love and embraced the boy.

61. Due to the glorification of Śiva and the amazing miracle and also the excitement among the citizens that night appeared to be like a moment (in duration).

62. When the day dawned, the kings who continued besieging the city, heard about this miracle through their spies.

63. The kings were greatly dismayed. Quickly they abandoned the inimical posture. They laid down their arms and entered the city on being permitted by Candrasena.

64. After entering the beautiful city and bowing down to Mahākāla, all those kings went to the abode of that cowherdess.

65. Candrasena advanced to receive them there and duly honoured them. Occupying valuable seats of honour offered to them, those kings were pleased and struck with wonder.

66. On seeing the temple of Śiva that manifested itself for blessing the cowherd-lad as well as the Liṅga of majestic appearance, they turned their mind towards Śiva.

67-68. All those delighted kings gave garments, gold, jewels, cows, buffaloes and monetary gifts, elephants, horses, chariots, umbrellas, vehicles and other paraphernalia made of gold as well as male servants, female servants and many other things, desiring to secure the grace of Śiva.

69. All the kings made that lad the king and leader of all cowherds wherever they lived.

70. In the meantime, the brilliant Hanumān, the lord of monkeys, appeared there honoured and adored by all the Devas.

71. Due to his arrival, all the kings became agitated and dismayed. They stood up to receive him and bowed down humbly.

72. Seated amidst them, the honoured lord of monkeys embraced the cowherd lad and spoke, addressing the kings:

73-77. “O ye all, listen, O kings and other embodied beings, welfare unto ye all. Excepting the worship of Śiva, there is no other means of salvation unto the embodied ones.

Fortunately this cowherd boy worshipped, albeit without the requisite Mantra, Śiva on Saturday, at dusk (coinciding with the thirteenth lunar Tithi) and acquired welfare.

Pradoṣa on a Saturday is rare indeed unto all embodied beings. That too during the dark fortnight is rarer still.

This boy who has enhanced the reputation of cowherds, is indeed extremely meritorious. In his eighth future generation, the famous Nanda will be born.[2] Nārāyaṇa himself will be his son named Kṛṣṇa.

From now onwards this cowherd lad will become well-known in the world by the name Śrīkara.”

Sūta said:

78. After saying this and imparting Śaiva rituals to the cowherd boy, the son of Añjanā vanished there itself.

79. All those kings duly honoured became delighted and satisfied. They took leave of Candrasena and returned to their respective places.

80. The highly brilliant Śrīkara, after being taught by Hanumān, performed the worship of Śaṃbhu along with Brāhmaṇas conversant with religious practices.

81. In due course Śrīkara as well as King Candrasena propitiated Śiva duly and devoutly and attained the highest region.

82. Thus the secret narrative has been told, it is very sacred. It is conducive to fame. It increases merit, splendour and prosperity. It annihilates sins. It increases devotion to the feet of the Lord of Gaurī.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to De, the following are the modern names of the invading states: Surāṣṭra (Kathiawad, Gujarat), Kekaya (the country between Beas and Sutlej), Kaliṅga (a part of Orissa), Madra (the country in Panjab between Ravi and Chenab), Pāñcāla (Rohilkhanda), Avantī (Malwa, now in Madhya Pradesh), Sauvīra (Upper Sindh), Magadha (South Bihar), Matsya (the territory of former Jaipur, Alwar and some part of Bharatpur states, now a part of Rajasthan).

Śakas and Sṛñjayas are names of tribes.

[2]:

This explains why Nanda became the guardian of Kṛṣṇa during his stay at Gokula. Such a motif of using some incident in the previous birth to explain the incident in the present birth was popular in Purāṇas, Buddhist Jātaka Tales and Jaina story literature. Many stories in this Purāṇa have used this motif.

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